Wishful Thinking
by Brutal But Beautiful
Summary: Spending a night in a haunted house with Fred and George Weasley isn't how Amalfi imagined her summer, but it's turning out better than she expected. Fred Weasley one shot.
1. Chapter 1

10:00pm

Black. Everything is black. The sky, the ground, the trees, even my hand in front of my face. Pitch back. It heightens your senses, not being able to see anything. I can hear owls… and they're everywhere. The air still smells like strawberries, but that's probably because we trekked through three berry fields to get here. The cold is intense, though, and I think the loss of my sight definitely improved my sense of feeling.

Someone turns on a flashlight and in front of us I see a huge, crumbling stone mansion. The cement is cracking, the grey blocks are chipped and the glass windows are smashed. I've never seen anything more bleak or forbidding. I want to run back to the Burrow, to Molly and Harry and Ron, but I don't think Fred and George would tolerate that.

The moon is pretty high and bright but clouds keep drifting past and blocking the light off, all we have is the light from our wands (which we aren't allowed to use) and George's dim flashlight.

"Ready, Fitz?" Fred asks.

My head snaps towards him, instinctively on guard at the slightest sound. He laughs. "Sorry…" I blush sheepishly.

I notice the light moving away and quickly chase after George who is grinning as he backs towards the broken building.

I take a deep breath to calm my nerves, assuming neither of them will pay attention, but Fred slings an arm over my shoulder and squeezes me into his side. "You'll be okay," He smiles cockily. "But I'll catch you if you faint."

I roll my eyes. "I doubt it."

Inside, the air is colder. Wind breezes through the tiniest crack in the walls and windows creating an eerie whistle and chilling draft which edges it's way down my neck, I turn up my collar wishing I wore more layers.

I can only see select pieces of furniture which George swings the light over, but from what I gather everything is red and covered with a thick layer of dust which drifts around the air when it's disturbed. There's a grand piano in one corner, playing side pushed towards the wall and the stool upturned on the top. Everything about this place seems to have a backstory - there are even small photos and portraits lining the walls.

There are three closed doors in front of us, and I've never been as scared as I am when the twins turn to me with scarily happy smiles and pull me between them. "Which one?" They ask me in unison.

I stammer over my answer, glance between the identical, oddly spaced doorframes and point to the one on my left.

"Upstairs it is!" Fred says smugly, and starts to march towards the door, pushing it open to reveal a steep, creaky set of steps.

I push my shoulders back and smile at him with a determined glint in my eye. "I'll race you."

He grins.

Of course, Fred and George decide to flip coins for the beds upstairs (we didn't want to sleep in different rooms) and they end up with a mattress each. I have a heap of blankets on the floor. We set everything up, throwing cold, clammy, damp pillows into the hall to make room for clean sheets. The twins dump their bags at the end of each metal framed bed and I leave mine between them both, where I feel safer.

The musty air creeps through the crack under the door, this room at the back of the house has no windows, and through my woolly Gryffindor jumper - the twins don't seem bothered.

"So," George says loudly, kicking back on the bed with his feet on the raised bar. Fred mimics him.

I roll my eyes and settle against the edge of Fred's bed with the metal digging into my back.

"If we're going to make this night worth the trek, I think we should play a game." George finishes.

I pull my legs up to my chest and rest my chin on my knees. "Okay… but what game?"

"Hide and Jinx!" Fred says quickly.

Both our heads flick towards him, George is grinning but honestly I'm a little scared. "Hide and Jinx?" I ask warily. "You mean… we have to walk around this creepy house on our own in eerie silence and wait for someone to jinx us? We don't even know what's in here!"

George flashes me an amused smirk. "Aw, Amalfi… are you scared?" He says with fake sympathy.

I notice a smile in Fred's eye. "Why don't we do teams?"

I glare at him for a moment. "Because there are three of us." I say bluntly. "And you two will make it your goal to terrorize me for the rest of the night."

The spark is still there. "No, the teams will be you and me against George."

"Well that's hardly fair…" George protests.

I don't see Fred wink at his brother, but I know he does because George smirks and nods. "Okay… okay fine, but I'm going to win."

Fred stands up abruptly and slides his arms under mine to haul me up just as George starts counting.

I swear under my breath and grab Fred's sleeve, dragging him through the door and into the hall looking desperately for a less daunting room to hide in - but he pulls me into the darkest one.


	2. Chapter 2

11:00pm

There are no curtains in this room, but it looks as though there are black velvet sheets dotted with silver covering the broken glass. There's a small hole in the grey brick near one corner letting in the cold which wraps around me like an unwanted blanket. I find myself huddling into Fred.

I barely hear his chuckling but when I look up he has a small half smile twitching at the corner of his mouth. I push him away hurriedly and lean against one wall. He does what he always does, he folds his arms across his chest and tilts his head back a little. He leans his right shoulder on the stone with one leg crossed over the other and he smiles at me.

"What do you say we play a game?"

"We already are playing a game." I say.

"You know what I mean."

I giggle. "Yeah, but I don't know any good games."

"Truth or dare." He shrugs.

I want to laugh, that's possibly the most childish game he could suggest apart from maybe kiss chase, but somehow I feel like something exciting might happen. "Okay," I agree. "Truth or dare?"

"That's the most obvious question you have ever asked me."

"Okay, dare… hm…" I roll from my back to my shoulder, slowly turning to face him with a wide smirk. "I dare you to tell me why you dated Angelina."

"You look too proud of yourself. That's cheating."

"Okay then I dare you to face your worst fear."

"Do you mean a Boggart?"

"No!"

He moves as fast as lightning to pull my back against his chest behind the door and slam his hand over my mouth. He stoops so his mouth is next to my ear. "I can hear him." He whispers.

I stay still.

Not because I'm scared of George, but because I'm scared that if I move Fred will let go. His warmth radiates through my back like it's the only feeling in this whole house and all I want is to press myself against him, but that would be weird, and I can hear George's footsteps go past.

He pushes me back again. "Okay, what were you saying? Worst fear?"

I nod.

He taps his chin like he's thinking, then his face brightens into a grin. "I know what my worst fear is!" He announces.

"You shouldn't sound so happy about this…" I mumble.

He laughs and nudges my shoulder. "Yeah, but you don't know what I have to do."

"So… what is it?"

He cocks his head slyly and smirks. "You'll find out."

"Just tell me!"

"Honestly…" He says softly. "It would be easier to show you."

I realise he's stood in front of me, and I take in his position with his hands beside my head on the wall. I notice his breath tickling my cheeks and I feel the tension - and maybe a bit of anxiety.

I almost lean forward, close the gap… almost. I was going to press my lips against his until I realised he's probably joking around, and -

" _Petrificus Totalus._ "

George's curse hits me straight in the leg.

"It's hide and jinx, you complete buffoon!" Fred shouts as he catches my falling, rigid body. "Not hide and curse!"

His twin shrugs and tries to hide a smirk - watching me shiver as my body comes back to life.


	3. Chapter 3

12:00

Back in the room we have claimed as our own, Fred and I are sitting in silence. Neither of us know where George has gone.

I check the time on my phone and sigh. "we made it to midnight."

"You've got another six hours with me yet, love."

Fred throws the words around carelessly, but he has no idea how happy it makes me when he uses it on me. "Great," I roll my eyes. "how will I cope."

"Easily!" He grins. "Lighten up, relax, and let us lead the night."

I lay back against the foot on his bed and smile. "Aye, captain." I say softly.

I hear his chuckle, the only noise in the silence, and then he nudges the back of my head with his foot. When I turn around he's holding his arms open to me and gesturing to the space next to him. "C'mon, the floor can't be comfortable."

I laugh.

Then I curl up next to him on the mattress and let my head fall on his chest. He folds his arms around me and laughs when I yawn. "I knew you were tired. Go to sleep, just until George gets back… ey?"

I nod, closing my eyes and pressing myself as close to his warm body as I can. I was wrong, that strawberry smell was Fred. It's all I'm able to think about as I drift off, I'm wondering if that's what Amortentia smells like too - then I think that is _definitely_ what Amortentia smells like.

I wake up to the door slamming open and Fred pulls my ear onto his chest. "Hey, shush." He says softly to George. "She's asleep."

His arms are still holding me, one of his hands behind my head. The other just brushing against my waist.

I can hear George's light chuckle and I know he's shaking his head, giving Fred that look he always gives me. "Mate, you're in deep." He laughs.

Fred squeezes me closer, as though he's challenging George, and I groan as my eyes blink open.

I stretch.

Fred lets me go.

I look over to George and he's smirking bemusedly at the both of us. "I don't know what I interrupted earlier… but it seems like it was something important. Anyway, we're going outside."

I stare at him with my mouth wide open, the kind of look you'd give him if he suggested throwing ourselves into the freezing ocean and signing up for hypothermia… he practically did. "But… but it's freezing!"

"Oh man up, Fitz." Fred rolls his eyes, but all the same he throws me a sweater. A blue, baggy Weasley sweater with an F stitched on the front. I pull it over my head and drown myself in the soft wool and strawberry scent.

"All-righty!" George says with an enthusiastic grin. "Off we go."

I giggle and wrap the jumper tighter as me and Fred follow him down the narrow staircase.

George takes us to an overgrown back garden, maybe front; I can't quite tell. Thorns with dead roses pierce through black hedges, mixing in with the dark air where the stars haven't quite sliced through the oxford blue sky. I'm stood in a place that would be impossible to describe without colours - wilting flowers the shade of blood on snow, dirt that crumbles like ash under your feet, and a half moon with a silvery glow hanging above us. It almost looks close enough to touch.

I nearly scream when I feel something cold and rough brush across my fingers before I realise it's just Fred. He laughs at my little jump of surprise and wraps my freezing hand in his slightly warmer one, then nudges me into his side to pull both of hands over my head and wrap me in his arms. Still, I can barely see anything but I think he and George can just sense each other - and George seems to have great eyesight in the dark. I'm dragged along to whatever the twins have planned but somehow I couldn't care less.

I guess, If I signed up for the sleepover I have to play along with the weird adventures in the dark too.


	4. Chapter 4

1:00

I spend the whole next 45 minutes bracing myself for whatever chaos they have planned, but when we get to the 'spot' (which is just a slightly clearer patch of grass with a few trees and a sky dotted with stars) George just sits on the floor and folds his long legs out like a collapsible table, then lays back. Hands cupped behind his head, stupid smile tugging at his lips and brown ees sparkling with the reflected starlight.

I sit on the grass and tug Fred down with me - he puts his arm under my head like a pillow and I happily cuddle up against him.

"Look at the moon," I say softly. "Not quite big enough for werewolves"

Fred sniggers, but George doesn't say anything.

After a few minutes one of them, I'm not sure which, whispers "Can you hear that?"

I tense up and suddenly I'm glad Fred is right next to me.

"Nothing." They carry on. "Absolutely nothing. Isn't it perfect?"

I realise what they mean. At Hogwarts in the dorms, you can hear all the echoes from the common room. Hermione shouting at Ron for forgetting to study, Harry is ranting about Dumbledore's crazy new plan - not that either of them are listening. Neville has probably lost Trevor, and Ginny's trying to get Colin's camera off him for taking photos of her. I never realised how much I actually miss the silence.

Even at the Weasley house it's never quiet, you can even hear the explosions from Fred and George's room from half way across the gnome infested garden.

I think Fred catches the smirk that spreads across my face because he smiles. "What're you planning?"

I pull myself off the floor and Fred gets up after me, following my gaze over to a twisted tree on one side of the clearing. His face breaks into a grin and he grabs my hand. "I bet I can climb faster than you!" He laughs, pulling me with him towards the lowest gnarled branches of the towering oak.

"Your on." I wink at him, taking hold of the only branch I can reach. "3...2...1... Go!" I shout.

George is watching us from the ground as I haul myself into the leaves, I'm sure he can only see where we are from the falling branches and violent shaking twigs but he keeps up a dramatic commentary. "Off to a steady start," He calls, a hint of amusement in his voice. I hear him let out a cry of horror as the branch above me bows down a little, I dodge and pull myself around it, I stick my tongue out at Fred as I pass him.

"Weasley looses his footing - Fitzroy takes the lead!" George shouts.

The branches are starting to get thinner and shorter and I know I've made it to the top. "Victory is mine!" I yell victoriously.

I can hear Fred let out a fake sob but he's laughing as he collapses onto the branch next to me.

"And Fitz wins the crown!" George splutters between laughs.

Fred rolls his eyes at me. "Congratulations, your highness." He flicks his hand in a royal gesture and tips his head to me. I giggle.

"Very close second, Weasley." I congratulate him.

I almost stop breathing when he leans closer to me and I can feel his breath brush on my cheeks. He looks confused, but his eyes are shining.

"Merlin only knows what our competitors are doing now." George says from the ground, loudly and impatiently.

Fred cups one side of my face and in one second a million thoughts of what's about to happen rush through my mind. Knowing Fred he'll probably just push me out of the tree… but he presses his lips very softly and very quickly against my cheek, then drops to the floor.

I make it to the bottom branch without fault and smirk at the ginger twin in front of me. He smiles unknowingly but his face registers pure shock and horror when I throw myself off the bottom branch and yell "Catch!" as I fall into his arms.

He's chuckling as I fall onto his chest and wrap my legs around his waist - he spins me around two or three times before letting my feet hit the floor. We collapse against each other laughing and apparently its contagious because George starts to laugh too.

"We'd better get back to the house," he says - and then adds "Lovebirds." as an afterthought.


	5. Chapter 5

3:00

Three hours left. I'm sure the walk back took longer than the walk there, and we spent forever laying on the grass and looking at the stars. It was like something from a movie, I almost expected my own sound track… I wonder what kind of film this would be. _The Wonderful Tales Of The Weasley Twins_. A tale of practical jokes and pranking professors, not a sad scene in the whole thing.

I'm starting to look forward to whatever else George has planned - probably some crazy wizard game… hopefully not as life threatening as hide and _curse._

When we get back to the house George stands in front of our staircase with his arms folded. "Pick another one, Fred." He grins.

I roll my eyes and groan inwardly. "Oh no…"

Fred throws on one of his terrifyingly dazzling half smiles and glances at me before his eyes drift towards the door on the far right. He winks at his brother and points at the rotting wood frame. "That one."

Exasperated, I tip my head back and take a frustrated step forward.

"Whoa there, Fitz," Fred chuckles. "You might bring the whole house down."

I glare at him and scowl, he's still smiling. "I just want to go to bed."

He snorts and turns away from me. "What?" I demand.

He shakes his head. "Nothing."

I huff, staring evilly at the back of his head. "If you didn't have a nose I'd mistake you for Voldemort." I mumble bitterly.

"Ah, you love me really… ey?" He chortles.

I huff and cross my arms over my chest. "Not in the slightest."

He just smiles.

The floor at the top of this staircase is practically caving in. Of course, this doesn't scare the twins at all but I stand on the last stone step and watch the wooden boards dip with their weight.

"That," I say pointedly, jabbing my finger towards the planks "is not a very good idea."

"Lighten up, Fitz." George grins.

"If I could lighten up then walking on that wouldn't _be_ a problem. Maybe it would actually bear my weight."

George makes a sound of complete disgust, but Fred reaches forward and wraps his hand around my wrist, tugging me sharply towards him and forcing me to take a heavy step on the flimsy wood.

It creaks considerably and I think I even see George flinch, but it holds true and I start to get my breath back.

"Wasn't so hard." Fred smirks.

I'm about to retort, but we hear something thud behind one of the closed door. I snap towards the twins, my hair flicking against my cheek, and look desperately into Fred's eyes. "Did you set something up?"

He looks just as scared as I do as he shakes his head, and slides his hand from my wrist to clench around my fingers. George steps towards one of the hollowing doorways and Fred takes the opportunity while he's turned away to kiss my cheek again. Longer this time. For a moment he looks worried, but his face gives in to a wide grin and he presses his lips gently to my ear to tell me it'll be okay before he follows his brother - I have to follow as my fingers are still tangled with his.

The room is empty; there's a smashed vase lying in the middle of the room - the nearest dresser is 20 feet away and none of us know how it got there. I squeeze Fred's hand.

He looks at me like he's about to say something but George turns around with a smile a mile wide. "You two are so gullible!" He laughs. "Should've seen your faces."

Fred punches his arm lightly. "Is that all you had set up? I expected more…"

But right then, something sends sparks up against the window and all three of us turn to see a flash of red. "So original, Weasley." I smirk. "Fireworks."

"Especially romantic for my two favourite people." He bows to us and I laugh. "Finally, you've realised you're lower than me."

I tug Fred's sleeve and grin at him, knowing I look like a child I lead him down the stairs and run to the front lawn where George has set up the display. I feel something pull back around my waist and I'm thrown against the Weasley's chest with a tiny squeak or surprise.

"Don't want to get your head blown off, 'aye?" He chuckles. "Stay here."

I pout and look up at him with wide eyes. "But Fred…" I say sulkily.

Then I see that gleam in his eye again. "Don't make me do it."

 _Oh shit._ I think.

I know exactly what he's planning - he does it every time I 'step out of line'. He tickles me.

"No," I say quickly, but his hands still slip to my waist. "No _no_ NO! Fred _no!_ " I shriek. He presses his fingers into my side and I collapse against him, he takes his chance to hoist me over his shoulder and run through the field of long grass, both of us laughing.

"Put me down!" I shout.

He doesn't, and I would shout to George for help but I think he's still inside… probably watching us, doubled over with laughter and thinking of all the stories he'll have to tell to the Weasley's.

Half an hour later, George made it outside; I was right, he was dying of laughter, watching us from the leaded window. He came to save me when Fred tripped over a branch and both of us almost fell to our deaths.

The fireworks are over, and tucked up back in the freezing room at the top of the stairs I can barely feel my numb feet. The twins are on their own beds - feet up, hands behind heads and wide, relaxed smiles. I start to think they're planning something.

Everything is very quiet, or breathing is out of time along with the wind outside, a few leaves tap against the glass but no one makes a sound. Even the twins are unusually quiet… and that never happens.

"What do you think is gonna happen at Hogwarts next year?" I say quietly into the silence. When no one answers, I say quietly. "I mean… there's always something."

George chuckles quietly and I turn to him. "Not in our first two years," He says. "Not since Harry's been there."

"It's our last year, though." Fred says. "I'm sure there'll be something exciting."

Him and George both wink at me and I know our seventh year at Hogwarts is going to be unforgettable, the twins will make sure of that.

"What on earth are they going to do without you?" I joke. "Hogwarts'll be such a sad place."

"Us?" George says, like he's offended. "You come up with it all."

I giggle and lay back on the wooden floor. "You flatter me."

Then it's silent again, and I think they've fallen asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

5:00

There's an old glass clock hanging just off the centre of one wall and it says it's about 3:00, but one of the hands has snapped and the other is shaking every second. The sky is fading slowly to a slightly lighter blue, so I'm pretty it's broken. There are no birds yet.

I arch my back a little to stretch and roll onto my side, eyes wide open and breathing quietly. The twins are still sleeping.

Knowing that now I'm awake I won't be able to fall back asleep, I push myself off the floor - rolling my stiff shoulders to loosen them up - and leave the room, pulling the door closed with a soft click as I go.

It's scarier to explore alone, of course, but also nicer. I can't hear a thing apart from my steps sounding hollow on the floor, a few of the stairs creak but I get down to the first floor of the old house without waking anyone up. The piano is still pushed against the wall with the stool on top but I think I'll be able to pull it back, it isn't too hard. Once I've got it far enough away from the crumbling wall I place the stool in front of it and sit down, pushing the cover off the keys to see they're almost pearly white.

The first few notes I play shatter the silence and I wince at how the resonate around the walls, heartbeat speeding up and holding my breath, scared to wake Fred and George. I like being on my own… But I don't hear anyone get up, and it seems safe to carry on playing.

I remember on my first year at Hogwarts Fred, George and I sang the Hogwarts school song to the tune of _Happy Birthday_ and I smile as I start to play it, of course, I don't know how to play piano that well but I manage to guess most of it and only get the notes wrong a few times. I play it three times round and when I finish I hear very loud clapping behind me.

I swear I almost have a heart attack as I spin around on the stool, but it's just Fred.

He's grinning from ear to ear when he sits next to me.

"That was great." He laughs. "Out of tune, but great."

I giggle a little and shake my head, biting my lip to suppress a smile.

I can feel his breath warm on my neck and it makes me scared so say anything, like he's an animal I could scare away; but then I want to slap myself. Fred Weasley doesn't get scared so easily.

I'm not sure which one of us does it, but someone leans closer and the other one closes the gap…and before either of us realise it we're kissing. For a second we pull away, both a little confused, but somehow our lips are connected again.

I gently grip his shoulders and he places one hand on the side of my face. After a few seconds we separate again.

"Well would you look at that…" I say quietly, catching sight of the grandfather clock by the door. "We did it, it's six o'clock."

He laughs, his forehead resting against mine and presses his lips against mine one more time.

"Maybe we should wake George up?" He asks.

I nod, almost silent, and pull him up from the piano stool.

He wraps one arm around my waist and kisses the top of my head.

"Again next summer?"

I look at him like he suggested we slay a dragon and shake my head firmly. "No way."

He just laughs.

* * *

 ** _Sorry guys, but this is the end! I hope you all liked it :3 thanks for reading, and thanks for the reviews c:_**

 ** _-Brutal But Beautiful_**


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